Write a few memos, make a few innuendoes and get everyone to salute the flag is much easier than yellow cake showing up somewhere it shouldn’t be, sure. Outside agencies (un, iaea etc) might start nosing around then it’s a real scandal. This way opps we made a mistake.
im not saying the cia lied, I’m saying that getting info to the cia and quashing doubt about it because it fits the narrative the potus wants seems much easier. Cheney was from Nixon White House after all.